Internal combustion engine



July 18, 1933. D COVYEOW 1,918,898

I NTERNAL G OMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l q 1 Q5 IQ-VIIA July 18, 1933- D. covYEow INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15

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We fm W Patented July 18, 1933 hearse STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL LfcovYEow, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filed August 15, 1932. Serial No. 628,835.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to the treatment or the fuel charge, the principal object being to prevent the accumulation of carbon deposits within the combustion chambers and cylinders of the engine, and at the same time increase the'power and eiliciency of the engine.

Other particular objects and advantages to be attained will hereinafter more fully'apear. p The invention consists in the parts and combinations of parts as hereinafter de- J lbQCl and pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, and i ori'ning part oi the speciiication,

1 is a fragmentary view, in side ele- I ration, illustrating more or less diagrammatically, the external parts of an internal combustion engine for automobiles and the iii-1e, with the apparatus of the present invention applied thereto;

2 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figv l, to show how the air heatingcoil of the apparatus is applied to the exhaustpipe the like. 7

As shown, the fuel intake manifold'll and the exhaust manifold 12 are located on the same side of the engine block. In connection with the fuel intake manifold. 11, an

ordinary carburetor is illustrated conventi0nally, as at 13, said carburetor having attached thereto pipe 14: leading from a source'of hydro-carbon fuel supply (not shown), and

being also provided with the usual throttle valve rocker arm 15 and operating rod 16, said rod 16 being shown foreshortened in the view, but obviously, in practice, extendingto a place on the car within convenient reach of the driver.

As far as the present invention is con coined, the carburetor'a'nd other cooperating adjuncts are adjusted in the usual way for the proper operation of the engine, just as though the device of the present invention,

which is supplementary in its application" and utility, were not applied.

Inthe practical adaptation of the inven-'' tion, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the apparatus comprises a liquid supply receptacle 17 which, for practical purposes, may be a grass jar of the ordinary commercial type and provided with a screw cap 18, the liquid contents of said jar being either plain water or a mixture of water and alco- 1101 or other suitable liquid which may be atomized and sprayed into the fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber of the engine.

Fitted in a central opening in the screw cap 18 of the jar is a nipple member 19 which, as shown, is secured in placeby opposed am nuts 20 and 21, by which provision the nipple member may be readily adjustedlengthwise in the cap and removed and replaced, at will. Secured in the nipple member 19, as at 22, by a tight fitting bushing orannular body of solder, is a tube 23, the upper end portion 24 of which extends a short distance above the cap 18, the lower end portion 25 of said tube terminating a short distance above the bottom 26 of the jar 17. v

Extending through the tube 23 is a wick 27 vcomposed of any suitable absorbent material through which the liquid in the jar 17 is carried upwardly through said tube 23, by capillary attraction, the upper end portion 28 of the adjacent end portion 24 of the tube, while the lower end portion 29 extends for a considerable distance below the lower end por the wick extending a slight distance above f tion 250i? said tube 23and is in contact with V the bottom 26 of said jar l7.

As shown, the bottom 26 of the-jar 1'7 crowned or raised at its center so that any sediment which might be precipitated in the liquid contents of the ar will settle in the an nular channel 30 adjacent the cylindrical side wall portion of the jar. To further prevent detrimental accumulation of a sedimentary deposit in the region closely about the wick 27, a tubular member 31, of slightly greater diameter than the tube 23, is sleeved concentrically about said tube, the upper end portion of said tubular member 31 being secured to the tube 23 by a tight fitting bushing or annular body of solder 32 or other suitable means of fastening which w'll afford a support for the tubular member 31 and at the same time seal the upper end of said member. The lower end portion 33 ofthe tubular member is detached entirely from the tube 23 and extends some distance belowthe adjacent end portion 25 of the tube. The function of said tubular member 31 is to prevent an accumula tion of sedimentary deposit on the wick 27, said tube being subject to some vibratory 1notion due. to the motion of the vehicle, and the relative proportionate diameters of saidtube 23'and the concentrically spaced tubular member or sleeve 31 being of further advantage in the agitation of the liquid contents of the jar in the region of the lower portion of the wick 27 which projects from the lower end of the tube 23, in that upper end of the tubular member 31 is sealed by the supporting bushing or body of solder 32, and, obviously, air is pocketed in the upper portion of the tubular member 31 so that the liquid in the rises only part way in the tubular member 31 and the reactive effect of the body of air which is compressed in the upper. portion of said tubular member 31 is to force the liquid which has risen in the tubular member 31 downwardly, thereby augmenting such agitation of the liquid which has been set up in the region of the lower end portion of the tubular member by the vibration of the tube 23 and sleeve member 31 caused by the movement of the vehicle.

The jar 17 may be supported at any convenient location and by any suitable means. As shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the jar is supported by a bracket element, the body portion 34 of which is in the form of a rectangular yoke provided with lugs or extensions 35 which are bolted to the flange or shoulder portion of the engine block. The yoke-like body portion ofthe bracket 34 is provided with wing members 36 which straddle the. side portions of the jar, while at the bottom of the bracket is a spring element 37 on which the bottom of the jar rests with cushioning effect. However, the particular means of support for the jar enters into the present invention only in a general way.

Atthe upper end of the nipple member 19 is a supplemental nipple member 38 which is detachably secured by a suitable coupling member 39. securedwithm said suppleinen;

tal nipple member 38 is a nozzle member 40 whose discharge end portion 41 is contracted and turned angularly asbest shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. As shown, said nozzle member 40 is secured in the supplemental nipple member 38 bya tight fitting bushing or annular body of solder as at 42, and the extreme lower end portion of said nozzle member is flared, as at 43. Cooperating with the flared end portion 43 of said nozzle member 40 is a gravitating valve member 44 which is normally supported by cross pin 45 or other suitable transverse extension or projection within the first mentioned nipple member 19. Preferably, the valve member 44 has a plain disc-like head and a central stem portion 46 which its loosely in the bore of the nozzle member 40 so. that said valve member 44 is freely slidable and yet a very restricted space is afforded between said stem portion 46 and the surrounding wall of the nozzle member 40. So, too, said valve member 44 and the adjacent flared end portion 43 of the nozzle member 40 are not formed with exact nicety for a perfectly fitted seating engagement, but, rather, they are somewhat roughly formed so that when the valve member 44 is seated against the flared end portion of the nozzle member 40 there is no complete stoppage of the passageway through the nozzle member but only restricted checking? of the flow is afforded, as will be presently more fully described. I

The nozzle member 40 is extended into a T-member 47 whose shank portion is at tached to the supplemental nipple member by coupling member 48. The T-member 47 is attached at one end to a pipe 49 by coupling member 50, said pipe 49 being tapped into the fuel intake manifold 11 of the engine at some convenient point, preferably centrally of the manifold and between the carburetor and theplaces where the manifold communicates with the combustion chambers of the engine. As shown, the pipe 49 is attached to the stem portion 51 of the manifold, as at 52. Preferably, a pet-cock or other suitable cut-off valve 53 is provided in the pipe. 49 between the nozzle member 40 and the place of connection with the fuel intake manifold 11. This pet-cock or cut-oif'valve is normally open and is only closed when it may be desired to-dispense with the use of the apparatus of the present invention and when making adjustments of the carburetor and other adjunctsfor the particular fuel mixture desired in the operation of the engine, which, as hereinbefore stated, is done regardless of the'application and use of the present invention.

At the end of the T-member 47 opposite to the end at which the pipe 49 is attached, is coupled a pipe.54, as by coupling member 55, said-pipe 54 being in turn attached, as

by couplingmember 56 to the delivery end Luis portion 57 of an air heating element 58. Preferably, the anheating element' conr prises an elongated length of pipe which is looped and re-looped successively in a multip icity of flights 59 and the receiving end portion 60 of said air heating element being provided with a suitable air filter 61 of Wire gauze or other suitable means of filtration and air flow checking qualities. The peculiar an important feature of the invention in that the device may be looped in an original flatwise arrangement as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. whereby the unit may be readily applied to the exhaust pipe 62 from the errhaust manifold 12 at any convenient locaby merely folding the heating unit about said exhaust pipe and clamping 1t securely tl ereto by s slit clampin sleeve 63,

as best sh wn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw- As shown, it is preferable to have the clamping sleeve of a width substanthe same as the width of theheating this rolled in int pine 62 is in whereby the air e filtering end portion 61 of tie device is lnstantly heated and carried in a highly at conditic to the nozzle member 40, so tln due to the vacuum in the pipe as ated by the suction of the engine in operation, the liquid which is brought up into the nipplemember 19 by the capillary attraction of the wick 27 in the tube 23, is taken oil in small particles and drawn into the tube so and convened into a heated vapor in said tube 49. and the aerated vapor is eventually carried into the combustion chambers of the e! gine commingled with the fuel mixture from the carburetor in the intake manifold.

By the use of the apparatus of the present invention in the operation of the engine the explosive fuel mixture is humidified to such an extent that not only is the accumulation of carbon deposit within the combustion chambers and engine cylinders greatly minimized and, in most cases, entirely prevented, is a greater economical effect in rel consmnption and greater power and r cthclency is attained in the operation tained in heated condition which 1S drawn in through I 11% engine.

it is to be understood that the particular const tion and arrangement shown in the s is for the purpose only of illustrating a p 'actical adaptation of the invention and that the structure may be. modified in man respects within the spirit and scope of c drawin the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific forms and arrangements shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as newand desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent is: 1

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine, and including the fuel supply intake and the exhaust pipe, of a liquid container, means tor raising the liquid from manner of looping the an heating element is d container in small particles, an air heati -g element in contact with the exhaust pipe air heating element and said fuel supply intake of the engine, and an atomizer tube having averticalintake portion in restricted comn'iunication at its lower end with said liquid raising "means and acontracted discharge portion at its upper end extending into said pipe connection in the direction of the fuel intake of the engine.

2. In combination, an internal combustion engine, and including'the fuel supply intake. and the exhaust pipe, of a liquid container, means for raising the liquid from said container in small particles, an air heating element in contact with the exhaust pipe of he engine, a pipe connectionbetween said v element and said fuelsupply inle engine and a check valve re stricted atomizer tube communicating With said liquid raising means and extending into said pipe connection.

3. In combination, an internal combustion ngine, and including the fuel supply in- 9 take and the exhaust pipe, or a liquid con-i tamer, means for raising the liquid from said container in small-particles, an air heating element in contact W1th the exhaust pipe of the engine, a pipe connection between said air heating element and said fuel supply intale ofthe engine, and a gravitating check valve restrictedatomizer tube communicat ing with said liquid raising means and extending into said pipe connection.

i. In an apparatus ot the character described, a liquid supply receptacle, a nipple extension on said receptacle having an atomizer discharge tube, a capillary tube se-.

cured communicably at its upper end in said nipple extension and depending therefrom in said liquid supply receptacle, said capi.l-'

tube terminating in proximity to the bottom of said receptacle, a wick in said capillary tube extending at its upper end above the upper end of said capillary tube, the opposite end portion of said wick extending below the lower end of said capillary tube and being in contact with the bottom of said receptacle, a nozzle tube secured with its lower end portion communicably in said nipple extension and having a contracted upper discharge end portion, a gravitating valve member interposed between the lower end portion of said nozzle tube and the upper end of said capillary tube whereby to restrict the entrance of said nozzle tube, and a supplemental tubular member sleeved on said capillary tube in spaced concentric relation thereto, said supplemental tubular memher being closed at its upper end portion and there supported on said capillary tube, the lower end portion of said supplemental. tubular member being open and exteniiled beyond the lower end of said capillary tube.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pipe connection between a source of air supply and the fuel intake of an engine, a liquid supply receptacle having a nipple extension at the top thereof, a vertically disposed capillary tube in said receptacle, said tube being supported axially in said nipple extension and in sealed relation annularly thereof, the upper end portion of said tube communicating with said nipple above the support and seal, and the lower end of said capillary tube terminating in proximity to the bottom of said receptacle, a wick in said capillary tube extending a short distance above the top of the tube and also extending below the bottom of the tube and being in contact with the bottom of said receptacle, a nozzle tube having its discharge end portion located axially in said pipe connection between the source of air supply and fuel intake of the engine and being disposed in the direction of flow towards said fuel intake, the receiving end portion of said nozzle tube being flared and extending into said nipple extension of saidliquid supply receptacle and being annular-1y supported intermediate its ends wit-h sealing efi'ect, and a valve element interposed between the receiving end of said nozzle tube and said adjacent end of said capillary tube whereby to restrictively control the entrance of said tube and the flow through the tube.

'7. In an "apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pipe connection leading to the fuel intake of an internal combustion engine, a liquid supply receptacle having a pipe connection with said first mentioned pipe connection and including a nozzle tube having its discharge end located in said first mentioned pipe connection and disposed in the direction of flow towards the fuel intake of the engine, the receiving end of the nozzle tube extending into a nipple extension of said liquid supply receptacle and in opposed relation to the upper end of a capillary tube projected into said nipple extension, the opposite end of said capillary tube terminating in proximity to the bottom of said receptacle, and a heating element comprising a length of pipe connected at one end to said first mentioned pipe connection leading to the fuel intake of the engine, the opposite end of said heating element pipe having a restrictively screened entrance, said heating element pipe being looped alternateback and forth between its ends and v. rapped around the exhaust pipe of the enginc in close relation thereto.

8, In an apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pipe connection leading to the fuel intake of an internal combustion engine, a liquid supply receptacle having a pipe connection with said first mentioned pipe connection and including a nozzle tube having its discharge end located in said first mentioned pipe connection and disposed in the direction of flow towards the fuel intake of the engine, the receiving end of the nozzle tube extending into a nipple extension of said liquid supply receptacle and in opposed relation. to the upper end of a capillary tube projected into said nipple extension, the opposite end of said capillary tube terminatin in proximity to the bottom of said receptacle, and a heating element comprising a length of pipe connected at one end to said first mentioned pipe connection leading to the fuel intake of the engine, the opposite end of said heating element pipe having a restrictively screened entrance, said heating element pipe being looped alternately back and forth between its ends and wrapped around the exhaust pipe of the en gine in close relation thereto, said heating element pipe being clamped to the exhaust pipe by sleeve with an interposed lining of insulating material.

DANIEL L, COVYEOW. 

